In recent decades, Dhaka has been experiencing an influx of people from across the nation, making it one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the world. The city has been attracting greater volumes of foreign investment and trade; and has been witnessing the modernization of transport and communications, with the Dhaka Metro and the Dhaka Elevated Expressway under construction. However, the city continues to face substantial challenges of congestion, poverty, overpopulation and pollution.

The origins of the name for Dhaka are uncertain. Once dhak tree was very common in the area and the name may have originated from it. Alternatively, this name may refer to the hidden goddessDhakeshwari, whose shrine is located in the south-western part of the city.[15] Another popular theory states that Dhaka refers to a membranophone instrument, dhak which was played by order of SubahdarIslam Khan I during the inaugurating of the Bengal capital in 1610.[16] Some references also say that it was derived from a Prakrit dialect called Dhaka Bhasa; or Dhakka, used in the Rajtarangini for a watch-station; or it is the same as Davaka, mentioned in the Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta as an eastern frontier kingdom.[17]

The Mughal Empire conquered the region during the late 16th-century. Under Mughal rule, the Old City of Dhaka grew the banks of the Buriganga River. Township developments significantly increased its population. Dhaka was proclaimed the capital of Mughal Bengal in 1608. Islam Khan Chishti was the first administrator of the city.[20] Khan christened it as "Jahangir Nagar" (City of Jahangir) in honour of the Emperor Jahangir. The name was dropped soon after the emperor's death. The main expansion of the city took place under Mughal governor Shaista Khan. The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres (12 by 8 mi), with a population of nearly one million.[21] Dhaka was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the Indian subcontinent.[22] It grew into a regional economic centre during the 18th century. It was home to traders from across South Asia; as well as an Armenian community; and Persian, Arab, French, Portuguese, Dutch, English and Greek merchants.[19] The city was a centre of the worldwide muslin industry. It had many caravanseries, including the Bara Katra.

The city passed to the control of the British East India Company in 1793. Plugged into the imperial mercantile networks of the British Empire, it continued to flourish in trade and commerce.[23] Its riverbanks were dotted with numerous mansions, mosques, temples, bazaars and churches. Eurasian traders built neighborhoods in Farashganj (French Bazaar), Armanitola (Armenian Quarter) and Portogola (Portuguese Quarter). The rise of the British colonial capital of Calcutta caused a sharp decline in the city's population and led to stagnation during the early 19th century. In 1824, an Anglican bishop described Dhaka as a city of magnificent ruins.[24] But substantive development and modernization eventually followed. A modern civic water system was introduced in 1874.[25] The British Raj bestowed privileges on the Estate of the Dhaka Nawab Family, which dominated the city's political and social elite. The Dhaka Cantonment was established as a base for the British Indian Army. The British developed the modern city around Ramna, Shahbag Garden and Victoria Park. The electrcity supply began in 1901.[26]

The Awami League was formed at the Rose Garden Palace in 1949.[28] The adoption of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan led to the Bengali Language Movement. The movement reached its peak in 1952. On 21 February 1952, Pakisani security forces shot and killed peaceful student demonstrators in Dacca University.[29] In the 1960s, Dhaka witnessed works by leading world architects, including Konstantinos Doxiadis and Louis Kahn. They influenced and complemented the nascent Bengali modernist movement pioneered by Muzharul Islam.[30] Dhaka remained a hotbed of political activity, as student activism and demands for autonomy increased. The Six point movement was widely supported by the city's residents. The city had an influential press, with prominent newspapers like the Ittefaq, the Weekly Holiday, The Pakistan Observer and Forum Magazine. During the political and constitutional crisis in 1971, the military junta led by Yahya Khan refused to transfer power to the newly elected National Assembly, causing mass riots, civil disobdience and a movement for self-determination. On 7 March 1971, Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a massive public gathering at the Ramna Race Course Maidan in Dhaka, in which he declared the beginning of the independence struggle.[31][32] Subsequently, East Pakistan came under a non-cooperation movement against the Pakistani state. The movement saw the complete shutdown of government offices, public transport, schools and colleges. East Pakistanis stopped paying taxes and most monetary transactions and communication links with West Pakistan were suspended. On Pakistan's Republic Day (23 March), Bangladeshi flags were hoisted throughout Dhaka in a show of resistance.[33]

The post-independence period witnessed rapid growth as Dhaka attracted migrant workers from across rural Bangladesh. In August 1975, Sheikh Mujib was assassinated in a military coup. There were further coups in November 1975 and March 1985. In the 1980s, Bangladesh pioneered the formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and hosted its first summit in Dhaka.[39] A mass uprising in 1990 led to the restoration of parliamentary democracy. In the 1990s and 2000s, Dhaka saw improved economic growth and the emergence of affluent business districts and satellite towns.[40]

Dhaka experiences a hot, wet, and humid tropical climate. Under the Köppen climate classification, Dhaka has a tropical savanna climate. The city has a distinct monsoonal season, with an annual average temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) and monthly means varying between 18 °C (64 °F) in January and 32 °C (90 °F) in May.[45] Approximately 87% of the annual average rainfall of 2,123 millimeters (83.6 inches) occurs between May and October.[45] Increasing air and water pollution emanating from traffic congestion and industrial waste are serious problems affecting public health and the quality of life in the city.[46] Water bodies and wetlands around Dhaka are facing destruction as these are being filled up to construct multi-storied buildings and other real estate developments. Coupled with pollution, such erosion of natural habitats threatens to destroy much of the regional biodiversity.[46]

The Dhaka municipality was founded on 1 August 1864, and upgraded to "corporation" status in 1978.[50] The Dhaka City Corporation is a self-governing corporation which runs the affairs of the city. Recently (i.e. 2011), Dhaka City Corporation has been divided into two administrative parts – these are (1) Dhaka City Corporation-North and (2) Dhaka City Corporation-South – for ensuring better civic facilities. These two corporations are headed by two administrators. The incorporated area is divided into several wards, which have elected commissioners. The Dhaka Education Board is responsible for administering all public schools and most private schools with the exception of English-medium schools and madrassahs.[51][52] All madrassahs in Bangladesh are governed by a central board while English-medium schools are under separate educational and governance structures.[53]

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was established in 1976 and has 6,000 personnel in 12 police stations.[42] With the rapid growth of the city, the force has been raised to 26,661 personnel and the establishment of 49 police stations has been completed.[42][54]

To fight rising traffic congestion and population, the national government has recently implemented a policy for rapid urbanization of surrounding areas and beyond by the introduction of a ten-year relief on income tax for new construction of facilities and buildings outside Dhaka.[55]

Aside from Chittagong, Dhaka has a water-borne sewage system, but this serves only 22% of the population while another 30% are served with septic tanks.[56] Only two-thirds of households in Dhaka are served by the city water supply system. More than 9.7 million tons of solid wastes are produced in Dhaka city each year. While private and government efforts have succeeded in collecting refuse city-wide and using it as manure, most solid wastes are often dumped untreated in nearby low-lying areas and water bodies.[57] The utility in charge of water and sanitation in Dhaka, DWASA, addresses these challenges with a number of measures. It says that in 2011 it achieved a continuous water supply 24 hours per day 7 days a week, an increase in revenues so that operating costs are more than covered, and a reduction of water losses from 53% in 2003 to 29% in 2010.[58] For these achievements DWASA, got a "Performer of the Year Award" at the Global Water Summit 2011 in Berlin.[59] In the future DWASA plans massive investment to replace dwindling groundwater resources with treated surface water from less polluted rivers located up to 160 km from the city.[58] In 2011 Bangladesh's capital development authority, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), made rainwater harvesting for new houses mandatory in an effort to address water scarcity and reduce flooding.

82% of the city's water supply is abstracted from groundwater through 577 deep tube wells, while four relatively small surface water treatment plants provide the remaining 18%.[60] Groundwater levels are dropping at two to three metres every year. The city's water table has sunk by 50 metres in the past four decades and the closest underground water is now over 60 metres below ground level.[61][62] The Asian Development Bank estimated in 2007 that by 2015 a severe supply shortage would occur if the utility did not reduce groundwater abstraction.[63] Nevertheless, DWASA announced in 2012 that it will develop a new wellfield with 46 wells providing 150,000 cubic metres of water per day at a cost of 63 million USD, of which 45 million USD will be financed by the government of South Korea.[64]

The utility plans to substitute surface water for groundwater through the construction of four large water treatment plants until 2020 at a cost of 1.8 billion USD (Saidabad Phase II and III, Padma/Pagla and Khilkhet). The treatment plants will draw water from more distant and less polluted rivers up to 160 km from the city. The four plants are expected to have a combined capacity of 1.63 million cubic metres per year, compared to a 2010 supply of 2.11 million cubic metre per year that is mainly from groundwater. As of 2011[update], funding had been secured for the first plant which is under construction thanks to a 250 million USD contribution from Danish development assistance.[58] In 2012 the government signed a contract with a Chinese company to build a water treatment plant at Munshiganj on the Padma River. The project costs 407 million USD, of which 290.8 million USD is financed by a soft loan from the Chinese government, the remainder coming from the Bangladeshi government.[65]

Dhaka is situated in the economic and commercial heartland of Bangladesh. It is the seat of the Bangladesh Bank and the Dhaka Stock Exchange. The city registered a gross municipal product of US$85 billion in 2008. It has seen strong growth in finance, real estate, telecoms, insurance and technology. Dhaka is one of the fastest growing startup hubs in the world.[14] There is a large concentration of multinational companies. The main commercial areas of the city are Motijheel, Dilkusha, Kawran Bazar, Gulshan, Mohakhali and Banani. The city has a growing middle class, driving the market for modern consumer and luxury goods.[66][67]

The Greater Dhaka industrial area is a major manufacturing hub, bounded by the Buriganga, Meghna, Dhaleshwari and Turag Rivers. It includes Narayanganj, the Dhaka Export Processing Zone, Tongi, Savar, Keraniganj and Gazipur. The major industrial sectors are textiles, jute, cement, ceramics, construction materials, newsprint, accessories, leather goods, electronics and appliances. Exports from the garments sector in Dhaka amounted to over 19 billion US dollars in 2013.[68] The city has historically attracted a large number of migrant workers.[69]Hawkers, peddlers, small shops, rickshaw transport, roadside vendors and stalls employ a large segment of the population[69][70] — rickshaw-drivers alone number as many as 400,000.[71] Half the workforce is employed in household and unorganised labour, while about 800,000 work in the textile industry. The unemployment rate in Dhaka is at a high 19%.[72] The city has a per-capita income of US$3,100 (the lowest among the world's megacities);[73] and an estimated 34% of households live below the poverty line. Dhaka faces tremendous challenges of congestion and inadequte infrastructure.

The population of Dhaka (areas under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka City Corporation) stands at approximately 7.0 million.[citation needed] The city, in combination with localities forming the wider metropolitan area, is home to over 15 million as of 2013[update].[74] The population is growing by an estimated 4.2% per year, one of the highest rates amongst Asian cities.[69] The continuing growth reflects ongoing migration from rural areas to the Dhaka urban region, which accounted for 60% of the city's growth in the 1960s and 1970s. More recently, the city's population has also grown with the expansion of city boundaries, a process that added more than a million people to the city in the 1980s.[69] According to the Far Eastern Economic Review, Dhaka will be home to 25 million people by the year 2025.[75]

The literacy rate in Dhaka is also increasing fairly quickly. It was estimated at 62.3% in 2001. The literacy rate had gone up to 72.7% by 2010 which is significantly higher than the national average of 56.5%.[43]

The city population is composed of people from virtually every region of Bangladesh. The long-standing inhabitants of the old city are known as Dhakaia and have a distinctive dialect and culture. Between 15,000 to 20,000 of the Rohingya, Santal, Khasi, Garo, Chakma and Mandi tribal peoples reside in the city.[76] Dhaka also has a large population of Chinese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Burmese and Sri Lankan expatriates working in executive jobs in different industries.

Bengali, the national language, is spoken by the predominant majority of Dhakaites. English is the principal second language and is used for law, commerce and education. There is a minority Urdu-speaking population from India and Pakistan. Dhaka is also home to over 300,000 Bihari refugees, who are descendants of displaced Muslims from eastern India during 1947 and sought refuge in East Pakistan. The correct population is ambiguous; although official figures estimate at least 40,000 residents,[77] it is estimated that there are at least 300,000 Urdu-speakers in all of Bangladesh, mostly residing in refugee camps in Dhaka.[78][79]

Islam is the dominant religion of the city, with 83% of the population being Muslim, and a majority belonging to the Sunni sect. There is also a small Shia sect, and an Ahmadiya community. Hinduism is the second-largest religion and compromises 16% of the population, and smaller segments practice Buddhism and Christianity, with both at 0.5% each. The city also has Ismaili, Sikh and Bahai Faith communities.[80]

As the most populous city of Bangladesh, Dhaka has a vibrant cultural life. Annual celebrations for Independence Day (26 March), Language Martyrs' Day (21 February) and Victory Day (16 December) are prominently celebrated across the city. Dhaka's people congregate at the Shaheed Minar and the Jatiyo Smriti Soudho to remember the national heroes of the liberation war. These occasions are observed with public ceremonies and rallies in public grounds. Many schools and colleges organise fairs, festivals and concerts in which citizens from all levels of society participate.[81]

Despite the growing popularity of music groups and rock bands, traditional folk music remains widely popular.[85] The works of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and national anthem writer Rabindranath Tagore have a widespread following across Dhaka.[86] The Baily Road area is known as Natak Para (Theatre Neighbourhood) which is the centre of Dhaka's thriving theatre movement.[87] Indian and Western music and films are popular with large segments of Dhaka's population.[88] This area is also credited for the revival of the Jamdani due to the many local saree stores selling and promoting these locally hand-made age old traditional Bengali sarees. Jamdanis are 100% hand weaved and originate from the Mughal era. Jamdanis are produced by a traditional high quality cottage industry, which is slowly dying out due to the slow production process. A single medium range Jamdani saree may take as long as 3 months to complete.[89]

Dhaka has the largest number of schools, colleges and universities of any Bangladeshi city. The education system is divided into 5 levels: Primary (from grades 1 to 5), Junior (from grades 6 to 8), Secondary (from grades 9 to 10), Higher Secondary (from grades 11 to 12) and tertiary.[92] The five years of Primary education concludes with a Primary Education Completion (PEC) Examination, the three years of Junior education concludes with Junior School Certificate (JSC) Examination, and next two years of Secondary education concludes with a Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Examination. Students who pass this examination proceed to two years of Higher Secondary or intermediate training, which culminate in a Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) Examination.[92] Education is mainly offered in Bengali, but English is also widely taught and used. A large number of Muslim families send their children to attend part-time courses or even to pursue full-time religious education alongside other subjects, which is imparted in Bengali and Arabic in schools, colleges and madrasas.[92]

Scooters, taxis and privately owned automobiles are rapidly becoming popular with the city's growing middle class. The government has overseen the replacement of two-stroke engine auto rickshaws with "Green auto-rickshaws" locally called CNG auto-rickshaw or Baby-taxi, which run on compressed natural gas.[113]Taxis plying in the Dhaka roads are of two types. Yellow taxis have slightly higher standards in terms of comfort but are more expensive. They are required to have air conditioning; the fleet consists mostly of Toyota Corollas. Blue and black taxis are cheaper and lack air conditioning; the fleet consists mostly of Maruti 800. As of April 2013[update], some 2,000-2,500 taxis of 11,260 registered ones were operating in the capital.[114] The Government decided to import 5,000 new taxis with the engine capacity of 1,500cc. The government also plans to raise the total number of taxis to 18,000 gradually.[114]

As of 1986[update], Dhaka had 1,868 kilometres (1,161 mi) of paved roads.[115] The city is connected to the other parts of the country through highway and railway links. Highway links to the Indian cities of Kolkata and Agartala have been established by the BRTC which also runs regular bus services to those cities from Dhaka.[116]

An elevated expressway system is under construction.[123] The Dhaka Elevated Expressway would run from Shahjalal International Airport-Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Saatrasta-Moghbazar Rail Crossing-Khilgaon-Kamalapur-Golapbagh to Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at Kutubkhali Point. A longer second elevated expressway from Airport-Ashulia is currently undergoing feasibility study.[124]

The Dhaka Metro feasibility study has been completed. A 21.5 kilometer, $1.7 Billion Phase 1, metro route is being negotiated by the Government with Japan International Cooperation Agency. The first route will start from Pallabi, northern suburb of Dhaka to Sayedabad, southern section of Dhaka.[125]

^University of Dhaka.03710. (10 September 2006). "Univ. Facts" (PHP). Archived from the original on 4 September 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2006.

^Muhammad Shamsul Huq (1983). Higher Education and Employment in Bangladesh.Besides,Here is another university that run by the armed forces of Bangladesh called Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP),which is established in Mirpur Cantonment. UNESCO. p. 181.

^Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (2005). "Dhaka". Asian Highway Handbook. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Publications. p. 28. ISBN92-1-120170-5.